You Give Me Security
by luvuni
Summary: Continues after Harry's third year at Hogwarts. It is slightly AU I suppose, as the Dursleys are abusive and Snape isn't quite as mean. Summary: Harry is getting abused by the Dursleys, and is swept away by Hogwarts staff. Now Sirius is going to undergo a trial to try to get custody of Harry. Voldemort will not be coming back. Contains action, & some Harry/Ginny and Remus/Tonks.
1. Pain & Suffering

The sun shone down upon number 4 Privet Drive that late Sunday afternoon. All was peaceful and calm outside the large home, masking the dark emotions within. It was the 6th of July, and 13-year-old Harry Potter had been back with the Dursleys' for almost a week. Needless to say, Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley were not happy that he was back, and they were being extra rough and mean with the boy. Already a few bruises turned his face black and blue, instead of its normal complexion.

Said boy was currently standing at the stove and flipping the bacon that Vernon and Dudley were impatiently waiting for. The smell of the sizzling bacon was causing Harry's stomach to growl painfully, reminding him that he had not eaten more than ½ a grapefruit in twenty-four hours. His mouth watered as he scooped the strips onto a large plate which he carried to, and deposited on, the kitchen table. Not daring to sit down, he backed away as Uncle Vernon looked up from reading the newspaper.

"About time, boy," Vernon said with a sneer. "You better not have eaten any." Harry didn't answer, knowing that whatever he said would get turned around on him and earn him trouble. The chubby pair began digging into the bacon, while scrawny, horse-faced Petunia sat across from Dudley.

"Daddy." the wide boy said in a whiny voice. "I heard Harry yelling last night. I think he was using you-know-what."

All the color left Harry's face as he realized what his cousin was referring to. Last night he'd had another nightmare about Sirius being taken away by the Dementor's and given the kiss. Several times that dream had haunted his sleep, but usually he didn't yell out in his sleep. The previous night must have been different.

Risking a glance at his Uncle, Harry cringed when he saw how purple Vernon's face was. "SO!" the plump man shouted, spittle flying everywhere as he stood up from his chair. "You were doing what your kind do, were you?! How dare you do such a freakish thing, under our roof?!"

"No! I wasn't using magic," Harry said desperately, backing away from his Uncle's rage, noticing too late his mistake of saying the _m-word_.

"Don't say that ruddy word!" Vernon spat, his anger flaring up at a rapid pace. "If you weren't using it then why were you yelling last night?"

Debating whether or not to tell his uncle why he had been yelling, his train of thought was lost when a meaty fist slammed into the side of his face, sending him flying backwards. Pain flared up behind his eyes as he landed on his back a few feet away, the back of his head slamming onto the corner of the kitchen counter on the way down. Aunt Petunia gasped loudly as he felt warm, sticky liquid beginning to drip down the back of his skull. Instinctively, Harry curled in on himself in a weak attempt to further protect himself from his uncle's wrath.

A pair of hands was suddenly yanking him by the back of his shirt and they hauled him upright. Looking up, Harry cringed as he saw Vernon in front of him. The man shook the frightened boy before dragging him out of the kitchen and flinging him up the stairs. "GET TO YOUR ROOM, AND DO NOT COME BACK OUT!" his uncle shouted viciously, his eyes bloodshot.

Scrabbling to get his footing, Harry fled up the stairs and into his room. The sound of his lock clicking indicated that Vernon had locked the door behind him. A constant throbbing of pain pounded through his head and jaw as the blood flow slowed to a mere trickle. With what energy he had left, mostly because of fear-induced adrenaline, he grabbed a quill and a sheet of paper and began to write.

_Dumbledore,  
>I apologize for writing to you during the summer, sir, but it is of most importance. I need help. I cannot remain at the Dursleys' any longer if I want to survive to see my fourth year. I'm sorry to trouble you with my problems, sir, but I don't know who else to talk to. I would message <em>_Si __my Godfather, but I don't want him to get himself caught for my sake. I need some advice.  
>Harry Potter<em>

Rolling up the short letter that a few specks of his blood had dripped on, Harry handed it to Hedwig, who took it in her beak. "Bring this to Dumbledore, quickly," he ordered, watching as she slid through the opening in his barred window. Vaguely, Harry realized that his words were a bit slurred and wondered if Hedwig understood what he wanted her to do. Moving away from his window, his vision began to blur, even though his cracked glasses still sat on the end of his nose. Putting a hand out, Harry grabbed onto his bedpost to keep his balance as the blurry room began to spin. The throbbing in his head grew stronger, as did the feeling that he was going to throw up. Sitting down on his bed, he leaned forwards and put his head in his hands to dispel the feeling. It didn't work.

The dull light in the room seemed to irritate his headache further, so he flipped off his lamp before collapsing into a ball on the bed. Suddenly feeling drowsy, Harry shut his eyes. Not a minute later, he fell unconscious.

x.x.x.x

Far away in the Hogwarts Castle, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore was reading in his office when a snowy owl flew in through his balcony window with a rolled up piece of parchment in its beak. Standing up quickly, when he realized it was Harry Potter's owl, he quickly took the letter and invited the owl to have some of Fawkes' food. The first thing his old eyes noticed was the vivid red splatter marks on the parchment, which was undeniably blood. In haste, he tore open the letter and his frown deepened as he scanned the short paragraph. Panic filled him as he ultimately realized his mistake in leaving Harry with the Dursleys.

Lunging into action, Dumbledore sent out his Patronus Charm to fetch Professor Minerva McGonagall, and Professor Severus Snape. The Phoenix made out of mist flew out of his office while he went to his desk and began to write a letter.

_S.B,  
>Do not get hasty and get yourself caught. Harry is in trouble and I need you to be here by the time he arrives. I do not know his condition, but I expect he is injured due to the blood on a letter he sent me. You must get here as soon as you possibly can, and do it without getting caught. Come as Padfoot and I will alert the staff to keep an eye out for a large black dog and to bring him to me.<br>Albus Dumbledore._

Using one of his post owls, he had the letter sent off to be delivered to Sirius. Shortly after the owl left, McGonagall and Snape burst into his office. "What's the matter, Dumbledore?" McGonagall said as she tried to catch her breath. Her pointed hat had slid sideways on her head during her rush to get to Dumbledore's office, and it now looked as if it were about to fall off. Quickly, the witch righted it and stared at the Headmaster expectantly. Snape stood beside her, and was wearing his usual stoic expression. Wordlessly, Dumbledore passed Harry's letter to McGonagall, who let out a shriek as she read it before passing it to Snape. The Potions Professor frowned as he read the boy's scrawl.

"What do you have in mind?" Snape questioned as he handed the letter back to Dumbledore.

The Headmaster ran his fingers across the blood splatter. "I have written to Sirius, indicating that he should come here immediately. Minerva, you are to wait for his arrival as his dog form, and Snape, you are to come with me to get the boy."

"But sir, I am his house head. Should it not be I who go with you?" McGonagall asked, her eyes shining from unshed tears for her Gryffindor.

"I'm afraid not. I need someone who knows about Sirius identity to be here when he arrives, and to help keep him calm. Also, I do not know the extent of Harry's injuries, and Snape will be of better service to healing him enough to get him to Madame Pomfrey," the Headmaster said before dismissing the witch to go wait for Sirius.


	2. Being Taken Away

Loud shouting roused Harry from his dreamless sleep. Pain shot through his skull as he sat up, wondering why his head was hurting. Glancing around, he took in the knocked over bottle of ink, Hedwig sitting in her cage, and blood on his sheets and floor before the fuzzy memories of his uncle hitting him, and punching him into the counter, resurfaced. Listening from where he sat, he could hear Uncle Vernon's yells clearly from his room.

"HE IS LIVING UNDER MY ROOF, SO I CAN TREAT HIM HOWEVER I WANT TO RUDDY TREAT HIM!" his uncle yelled savagely. Harry couldn't hear the reply, and he wondered who his uncle was talking to. Standing up, he found that he could was stable on his feet and managed to walk to the door. With his hand lying on the doorknob, he tried to open his door but found it to be locked. Sighing, he pressed his ear against the door. "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE, YOU FREAKS!"

"You should learn better manners you oaf," came a familiar cold voice. Confusion, of the likes he'd never felt before, filled Harry as he realized that the voice belonged to Snape. _What on earth is Snape doing here?!_ Pressing his ear harder against the door, he heard someone else speak.

"I find it unfathomable that you would abuse Harry the way you have. We are taking from this house hold, and you two will have a trial booked at the Ministry of Magic to find out if the abuse you've done on him has earned you a stay in Azkaban," came Dumbledore's voice. Harry had never heard the Headmaster sound so angry.

The sound of footsteps coming up the stairs filled his ears, so Harry went and sat down on his bed. A soft _Alohomora_ was heard before his door swung open, revealing the Potions Master, and Headmaster. Snape was wearing his usual black cape and robes, and looked as menacing as ever. Dumbledore, although dressed normally, look very different. The twinkle was gone from his eyes, and he looked murderous with his wand held out in front of him like a sword.

"Oh Harry," Dumbledore said, obviously relieved. "I feared the worst after receiving your letter. Where are you hurt?"

Shell-shocked, it took Harry a moment to find his mouth. "Sir? I was expecting a letter back giving me advice, not you two coming here!" Dumbledore gave him an '_answer the question_' look, so he added: "I've only got these bruises on my face and a wound on the back of my head."

The Headmaster waved Snape forward, and Harry froze as his Professor walked behind him and firmly grabbed his head with one hand. After a few quick spells, Harry felt the wound stitch back up and the throbbing stop. "Thank you," he muttered as Snape went to stand beside Dumbledore again.

"Come along Harry, we're going to Hogwarts," Dumbledore said as he waved his wand. All of Harry's belongings, except Hedwig, flew into his trunk.

Harry gapped at the old man. "Why am I going to Hogwarts, sir?"

"Would you like to stay here?" Snape snapped impatiently.

Dumbledore raised a hand to silence the man. "Harry, you won't be staying with your Aunt and Uncle anymore. By them abusing you like this, I cannot allow you to remain here. Now, let's go. Severus, I'll take Harry. May you grab his trunk?" The Headmaster grabbed onto Harry's arm, and before he could object, Dumbledore Disapparated them with a soft _pop_.

Feeling like he was being forced through a small tube, Harry clung to Dumbledore's arm like a lifeline as they landed hard on the grounds of Hogsmeade. Keeling over, feeling like he was going to vomit up the nonexistent contents of his stomach, Harry clutched his torso. Only a few times had he ever heard of Apparation, and he had not been ready for it then. A _pop _next to him indicated that Snape had materialized beside them, and he was with Harry's trunk and Hedwig in her cage. Reaching up, he took Hedwig's cage attentively.

"This was as close as we could get to Hogwarts, so we will be walking the rest of the way," Dumbledore said as the three of them began walking towards the school. It was an awkward silence, in which the Headmaster led the way, while Harry walked behind him. Snape lagged behind, carrying the boy's trunk which had been lightened by a weightless spell. After a few minutes, Dumbledore broke the silence. "Harry, how often did your relatives hit you when you were younger?"

Glancing up, Harry found that Dumbledore hadn't turned to face him when asking the question. Instead, he was still walking straight, but clearly waiting for Harry to answer. "Not often. It has never been this bad, sir," he said, feeling awkward about saying this in front of Snape. "Food was sometimes deprived, but never more than a meal or two, and I was hit plenty of times, but never enough to leave bruises such as these. For some reason, they're different this time around."

A long sigh came from Dumbledore, but he still didn't turn to face Harry. "No adult should ever lay a hand on a child, nor deprive them of food. I wish I had been made aware of this sooner Harry, but you don't have to worry. You won't be going back there again."

"Where will I stay then?" Harry inquired.

At that question, Dumbledore kept walking forwards but glanced over his shoulder at Harry. The boy noticed a twinkle forming in the man's eyes, indicating he was up to something. "Arrangements are being made, Harry."

Eventually they made it to the castle, where Harry was ushered straight up to the infirmary by his worried house head. Madame Pomfrey used some bruise salves, and potions to get rid of his injuries. After all the fussing around and answering questions, he was utterly exhausted. Snuggling up in his bed in the infirmary, sleep overtook him just as he heard a dog bark.


End file.
